Frequently Asked Questions

Do all gifted children exhibit the same qualities and abilities?

Every child develops at different rates both academically and socially regardless of their chronological age. It is important that a child have both academic peers as well as social peers.

I think my young child is gifted. What information or resources do you recommend?

One way that parents can tell if their child might be gifted is to assess a range of behaviors that occur throughout daily conversations, activities and responses to learning experiences. The following is a list of characteristics common in gifted children between the ages of four and six:

  • express curiosity about many things
  • ask thoughtful questions
  • have extensive vocabularies and use complex sentence structure
  • are able to express themselves well
  • solve problems in unique ways
  • have good memories
  • exhibit unusual talent in art, music, or creative dramatics
  • exhibit especially original imaginations
  • use previously learned things in new contexts
  • are unusually able to order things in logical sequence
  • discuss and elaborate on ideas
  • are fast learners
  • desire to work independently and take initiative
  • exhibit wit and humor
  • have sustained attention spans and are willing to persist on challenging tasks
  • are very observant
  • show talent in making up stories and telling them
  • are interested in reading.

Please visit our resource page for additional information and resources.

My child is bored/underachieving/misbehaving in school. What should I do?

In some cases, something may be occurring within the learning environment or it could be something specific to the child. Parents should have open communication with the teacher and the school about what does or does not fit the child’s learning, emotional or personality needs. Upon further investigation, should a satisfactory change not be taking place, testing may be a helpful next step in order to better understand your child’s learning styles.

Besides basic academic classes, what else is offered at Sage?

In addition to core subjects humanities (encompassing English, social studies, geography, and civics), science, math, foreign language (Spanish for all students, with the addition of Latin in the Middle School), Physical Education, visual and performing arts, health and library/computers. There are many after school clubs to choose from as well.

What does it mean to be in the Prime Division, Junior Division, and Middle School?

We have three divisions at Sage: Prime, Junior, and the Middle School. Prime students are preschool through second grade age; Junior students are third grade through fifth grade age; and the Middle School is sixth-grade through eighth-grade age students.

Does Sage use standardized testing?

The students at Sage are working above grade level so standardized testing would not be a true indication of a child’s academic performance. Many Sage students take advantage of the testing administered through Johns Hopkins, Center for Talented Youth.